A Weekend on the Ranch

While some of us may know the word “gaucho” in reference to the trendy Y2K capri pants that quickly went out of style, on Saturday, our students learned that authentic Argentinian gauchos are always "de modo." 

This weekend we all headed out to an estancia, a ranch on the outskirts of Buenos Aires. In just under an hour, we found ourselves in a wildly different setting from the urban bustle we’ve settled into. Rather, the estancia is one in which peacocks run free, dogs play in the same fields as horses, and hot empanadas are served upon arrival. None of us fully knew what we were getting into, but the day was a perfect balance of roaming around the gardens and chatting with new friends while learning the important cultural identity of dance and asado in this region of the world. 

After taking our seats for lunch, a round of applause signalled the servers to bring out salads and bread, followed by countless smoked meats, chimichurri sauce, and ice cream to round out the meal. (Vegetarians fret not, there was deliciousness for all - might I recommend a BBQ’d vat of cheese and veggies? YES.) 

The dance show came next with what can only be described as riveting acrobatics. Four dancers trained in a variety of traditional Argentine art forms performed Malambo and boleadoras. The pictures are incredible, but the in-person experience is one worth coming all the way to the Southern Hemisphere for. We then moved outside to watch yet another superhuman/horse feat. The Gauchos, (the always trendy kind), competed on horseback to ride at full speed towards a tiny ribbon in an attempt to spear it with a small wooden tool. 

We all lined up to watch them compete long enough to hanker for a merienda and head home. It’s been quite special to watch all of the HSSA students start to adopt Argentine rhythms, routines, and customs as some of their own.